Sigil 034
Tiamat, 6:09 PM Ok, so recap! Tiamat, 6:10 PM Last time, you guys had celebrated finding another stone by staying in the Oakbrewer Castle in the Dwarven Empire. It was fairly nice. You all got your own room. Tiamat, 6:11 PM Then, dwarf ninjas attacked. And it turned out they were a distraction or possibly an attempt at another job while another figure kidnapped the princess. Tiamat, 6:12 PM Using your magic and...well, mostly your magic, you found and stopped the kidnapper, Mage's Guildmaster Azarim Shadowgrip. Tiamat, 6:13 PM After briefly questioning him, you learned he was part of a conspiracy to overthrow the king and put forward someone more favorable to the guild. Tiamat, 6:14 PM While Hank went off to do other things the next day, Quill and Rune decided to continue the investigation. You went to the guild hall and met up with a kingsman of rank, Kymic, a comparatively young dwarf. Tiamat, 6:14 PM After some investigation of the room, you discovered a magically concealed secret passage. And you then sent a message to Hank and the others to meet you and waited. Tiamat, 6:15 PM And that's where we pick up. About an hour later, Hank has arrived with Anomie (in a female half-elven form) via Kai. Hank, 6:18 PM So what’s up , you said you found something weird here? Quill, 6:18 PM Quill nods. Quill, 6:18 PM I'm hoping this leads to some information on the co-conspirators. Tiamat, 6:19 PM Hank, you and Anomie are lead in and you see a passageway leading into the pyramid and down. Rune, 6:19 PM But it might lead to one of the hells. Hank, 6:20 PM Well there is only one way to find out isn’t there. Tiamat, 6:21 PM Anomie: "...quick question...are we all gonna be able to fit? Like...this passageway does appear to be...dwarf sized." Tiamat, 6:22 PM Anomie: "...I guess if Rune goes in on all fours, that could work." Rune, 6:22 PM Rune sighs. Tiamat, 6:23 PM Anomie peers around the hole a bit. "...well...if nobody else is volunteering." Tiamat, 6:24 PM Anomie shrinks her form down and sort of crouch walks in. Hank, 6:25 PM Hank crawls in following Jim Rune, 6:26 PM Rune goes next. Tiamat, 6:26 PM Make me a dex check, Rune. :) Rune, 6:27 PM ((16!)) Tiamat, 6:27 PM You get through well enough. You do have to sort of crab walk, mostly cause of the horns. Tiamat, 6:28 PM It's not your most dignified moment, but it gets you through. Quill, 6:28 PM Quill goes in last, crouching. He's not very big. Tiamat, 6:29 PM Esme will come in with you as well. And Kymic just walks right in...cause dwarf. Tiamat, 6:30 PM You guys go walking through and it hits a moment where it's actually pitch black. And the stairwell down actually gets less refined and a bit taller. The stonework becomes a lot sloppier though, and you begin to feel a bit of a chill. Rune, 6:31 PM ((I'm so glad we all have darkvision, seriously.)) Tiamat, 6:31 PM Unfortunately, Esme does not and you hear an occasional bang and swear from her direction. Tiamat, 6:31 PM Eventually, up ahead, you guys can see the glimmer of light and you come out into a very wide room. Not a room, a cavern. You realize all of this was dug into the mountainside that the guild hall was against. Tiamat, 6:33 PM The cavern itself is fairly large, especially for a dwarf. In it's center, you see a large circular table, but with only one chair. About the walls are various papers and symbols that have been stabbed into place and connected via a series of threads. Rune, 6:34 PM … a stringboard. Only madmen keep stringboards. Rune, 6:34 PM Rune shakes her head. Tiamat, 6:34 PM You also see a 3-foot alter with a book on it and a pen and ink jar beside it. Neither especially fancy. Tiamat, 6:35 PM Lastly, on the table itself is a crystal orb, roughly the size of a basketball. Tiamat, 6:35 PM Otherwise, the room is a touch sparse, much like above. Quill, 6:36 PM Quill looks at the altar, trying to determine what it might have been an altar to. Tiamat, 6:36 PM Esme sends up dancing lights around the room Tiamat, 6:37 PM Quill, make either a religion or history check. Whichever is better. Quill, 6:38 PM ((Meh.)) Tiamat, 6:38 PM You look it over and see a few symbols, but none you would recognize...actually, do you have prof in Arcana too? Quill, 6:40 PM ((I have proficiency in Arcana and can read all writing, for whatever that's worth.)) Rune, 6:40 PM Rune sticks with Quill and examines the altar. Rune, 6:41 PM ((20 arcana, I do not have much of a Religion so.)) Tiamat, 6:43 PM Ok, first, both of you would note two things that...don't help, but you do notice. First, on the front of the alter is a symbol similar to one you saw on the tapestry in Azarem's office above. It is of an open hand, stark white, with an eye in the palm of it. The iris of the eye is a dull yellow color and does not form a perfect circle. One end at the top leans right into a point. Tiamat, 6:43 PM Quill, you have no knowledge of this symbol from your travels and Rune you don't know where you would even have seen something like this. Quill, 6:44 PM Quill makes a note of it, though. Tiamat, 6:45 PM Quill, you notice a couple of arcane symbols carved into the alter, but none you recognize, but Rune, you know your symbols very well. And you get a bit more. Tiamat, 6:46 PM The book on the alter is closed, for the record. Rune, 6:47 PM I think it was used for summoning. Rune, 6:47 PM And I think someone was keeping it from being found magically. Tiamat, 6:48 PM Kymic, for the record is marking down everything he is seeing with a clipboard and a small piece of granite. Quill, 6:50 PM Makes sense. Can you tell if the book is trapped? Tiamat, 6:50 PM Anomie: "I can look at that." Tiamat, 6:51 PM Anomie: "...oh...you meant like...magically trapped, didn't you? ...yeah, I can't do that." Hank, 6:51 PM Hank will use divine sense near the altar just to see if he can sense anything. Rune, 6:52 PM Rune does cast Detect Magic and checks out the whole place. Rune, 6:56 PM The crystal ball is a crystal ball. Rune, 6:58 PM There's an enchantment on the podium to keep it from being magically detected that's stopping me from seeing what it is. … I'm not sure whether we should dispel it. What do you think, Quill? Quill, 6:58 PM I think we should. Rune, 6:58 PM All right. Go ahead. Quill, 6:59 PM Quill casts Dispel at 5th level. Tiamat, 7:01 PM ((Are you focusing on the object or the effect?)) Quill, 7:02 PM ((The effect.)) Tiamat, 7:02 PM ((Ok, good.)) Hank, 7:02 PM The podium does seem to have fiendish energy around it. Rune, 7:05 PM I wonder if he summoned the bug. Rune, 7:05 PM ... oh, it's got a ton of conjuration magic. Tiamat, 7:05 PM Esme: "It's entirely possible. Those are not easy to find on this plane." Tiamat, 7:06 PM Esme is looking over the papers on the walls. Quill, 7:06 PM Is there any kind of magical trap on the book, Rune? Hank, 7:07 PM Hank will look for any other way in or out of the room Rune, 7:07 PM I don't think so, no. Rune, 7:07 PM You've looked, Esme? Tiamat, 7:07 PM Roll investigation, Hank. Tiamat, 7:07 PM Esme: "No, just studied a bit of demonology at the university." Hank, 7:07 PM (( nope 8)) Tiamat, 7:08 PM Esme: "Taught by an aasimar, ironically." Rune, 7:08 PM It makes sense. It's easier to punch evil in the face if it comes to you. Quill, 7:08 PM Quill checks out the book. Rune, 7:09 PM Rune looks over Quill's shoulder. Tiamat, 7:09 PM The book is latched shut. Requires a tiny key. Quill, 7:10 PM Anomie? Got a lock here. Tiamat, 7:10 PM Anomie: "Alright, let me take a look at that." Tiamat, 7:10 PM ((Natural 19)) Tiamat, 7:10 PM Anomie barely has to touch it, she just snaps it loose. Tiamat, 7:11 PM Anomie: "You think he'd be a lot safer with his book of evil club secrets." Rune, 7:11 PM It's probably recipes. Or it's just full of "I PREPARED SEPIA SNAKE SIGIL TODAY." Quill, 7:12 PM Well, we'll see, won't we. Quill, 7:12 PM Quill opens it. Tiamat, 7:12 PM ((Quill reads all languages cause of the thing, right?)) Tiamat, 7:13 PM Or is that a spell he casts? Quill, 7:14 PM ((He can read all writing, it's just on all the time, as far as I know, doesn't say anything about activation. Literally all the Invocation says is 'You can read all writing'.)) Tiamat, 7:14 PM ((Ok)) Tiamat, 7:14 PM So, Quill can read it and Rune, you recognize the writing as well. It's written in celestial. Rune, 7:15 PM Oh, it's Celestial. Rune, 7:15 PM ((I know Celestial!)) Tiamat, 7:15 PM ((Yes you do.)) Tiamat, 7:16 PM Scouring through, it is...difficult to read, though. A lot of it seems to describe these mundane events of shopping and grooming, but with strange emphasis in certain areas. Like "I got to the store today. Was so glad they still had tomatoes." Like...just weird he underlined that there. Quill, 7:17 PM Some kind of code again. Rune, 7:17 PM It's probably... yes, exactly. Tiamat, 7:18 PM But you also read descriptions of dreams, where he's visited by a celestial being, described as having massive wings and two long curls in it's gorgeous long hair. Rune, 7:19 PM ((13 religion check to see if I can work out what that is. Doubt it!)) Tiamat, 7:19 PM The being apparently claimed to be a champion of Druanna. A typically elven deity, but one worshipped by many arcane users. Legends claim she created the first runes used in magic. Tiamat, 7:22 PM His description of the being's words are...muddled, though. Not surprising as he is recounting a dream, but it feels wrong. Something about the nature of magic becoming twisted. Tiamat, 7:22 PM He also describes the sound of animals as the celestial spoke. The baying or rams and squealing of pigs. Tiamat, 7:23 PM Future records of the dreams go back to this strange code and become even less distinct. Rune, 7:23 PM ... I'm pretty sure that isn't a celestial. Tiamat, 7:23 PM Anomie: "Hank said he felt "fiendish" energy from this before." Quill, 7:25 PM That's a pretty good horror story, to be honest. Rune, 7:25 PM I wonder if it's true. Quill, 7:25 PM Quill turns his attention to the string-wall. Tiamat, 7:25 PM Roll investigation for the string wall. Quill, 7:29 PM ((18)) Quill, 7:35 PM Hey, Anomie, he was a fan of your magic item supply, apparently. Quill, 7:35 PM "Throdak, Halldis, Phelonia." Tiamat, 7:35 PM Anomie: "...don't know any of those names." Tiamat, 7:36 PM Anomie: "Also, not my supply anymore." Rune, 7:36 PM ... "Phelonia"? Really? That's embarrassingly obvious. Quill, 7:36 PM That's why he crossed out your name on his crazywall. Quill, 7:36 PM Also he thought the Marquis was too confusing to be an ally, so there's that at least. Tiamat, 7:37 PM ((Names are hard! :) )) Quill, 7:37 PM "Havenfall: Possibly Point of Entry." Quill, 7:37 PM Ominous. Rune, 7:40 PM For whom, I wonder. Rune, 7:40 PM ... or what. Quill, 7:41 PM Rune. Quill, 7:41 PM … this is you. Quill, 7:41 PM Quill points. Tiamat, 7:41 PM Where Quill points you do see an image of what looks to be Rune as a very young child. Rune, 7:42 PM Rune blinks, and peers at the thing. Rune, 7:42 PM ... I hope my nose isn't that big. Tiamat, 7:43 PM It's not a drawing. It looks almost like...ok, your characters likely would not know what a photograph is, but that's what it is. Quill, 7:43 PM ((Scry-capture.)) Tiamat, 7:43 PM And, from the perspective, it looks like the person taking it was in hiding somewhere. Quill, 7:43 PM … I"m creeped out. Tiamat, 7:44 PM Esme: "...Rune...are you ok?" Rune, 7:44 PM Yes. Why? Tiamat, 7:44 PM Anomie: "That's like...serial killer shit." Rune, 7:45 PM Well, yes, but our boss also watched us and stalked us growing up, so it isn't exactly unheard-of. Tiamat, 7:45 PM Kymic: "...you people are weird." Hank, 7:46 PM We get that a lot Rune, 7:46 PM Rune tries to work out what the string mess means. Tiamat, 7:47 PM Esme: "..........why's my dad's name on the board?" Rune, 7:47 PM ((Only a 14.)) Quill, 7:47 PM Quill tries to illustrate what he's figured out the board means. Rune, 7:53 PM ... that's where we lived. Quill, 7:54 PM The Forest? Rune, 7:54 PM No, here, on this map. Rune, 7:54 PM Who, or what, is "the child"? Quill, 7:55 PM That’s the ominous question, isn’t it? Rune, 7:55 PM ... I hope it isn't Annaza's. Tiamat, 7:56 PM Anomie: "How would he know about that? Also, why is there a picture of you, then?" Rune, 7:57 PM Because Annaza's my sister, obviously. Tiamat, 7:57 PM Anomie: "...like...literally? I always figured it was like...an expression." Rune, 7:58 PM It just means we're all the same kind of demon, and they're usually born in giant clutches of eggs. Tiamat, 7:58 PM Anomie: "Ah! Ok." Tiamat, 7:59 PM Esme: "...I mean...there's like...hundreds of prophecies and records and stuff for a "the child" thing. It's too vague to mean anything." Rune, 8:00 PM It's probably going to turn out to be that demon. Quill, 8:02 PM The goat-pig guy? Rune, 8:03 PM The one they tried to summon in our basement. Quill, 8:03 PM Oh, right. Rune, 8:07 PM Gorgonzola, or Gargantua, or whatever it was called. Tiamat, 8:08 PM Esme: "Gargauth?" Hank, 8:08 PM You think this conspiracy here is tied to an event 80 years ago? Rune, 8:08 PM No, that's not it. I'm pretty sure it was Gargamel. Tiamat, 8:09 PM Esme: "...I knew a Gargamel at the academy. Weird dude. Kept trying to capture little blue fairies and...eat them? Turn them to gold? It wasn't clear." Rune, 8:10 PM It was Gargauth. Tiamat, 8:10 PM ((Sorry if I stepped on your joke)) Rune, 8:11 PM I don't want to respect him by using the right name. Rune, 8:11 PM ((Nope!)) Tiamat, 8:12 PM Kymic: "I'll make sure to keep a record of all of this. I can't authorize it myself, but I am sure Vizier Duskthane would let you guys take a record of everything with you...wherever it is you're going next." Rune, 8:14 PM Right. Rune, 8:15 PM Rune starts trying to make a sketch of the crazy wall. Tiamat, 8:15 PM Kymic will give you his if you want it. It's surprisingly well crafted. Tiamat, 8:18 PM Esme: ".........are you guys still gonna stop by Havenfall after here?" Hank, 8:18 PM I Annaeieve that. Is the plan Rune, 8:18 PM Rune takes it. Rune, 8:18 PM Are you coming with us or not? Your father's on the crazy string web. Tiamat, 8:19 PM Esme: "I would like to, yes. If he's on here, I worry he may be in danger." Tiamat, 8:19 PM Esme: "Or...is the danger. Or something. I don't know." Rune, 8:20 PM I thought you didn't like him. Tiamat, 8:20 PM Esme: "He's my dad." Tiamat, 8:21 PM Esme: "And I don't NOT like him. It's just...look, whatever it is, he's still my dad." Tiamat, 8:21 PM Taeral: "...if it helps, I'll be there when you...we...confront him? Will we be confronting him?" Rune, 8:22 PM Probably. We have that sort of luck. Hank, 8:23 PM We have to go to the guild for information anyway Tiamat, 8:24 PM As you guys talk a voice comes from the crystal ball. Tiamat, 8:24 PM ????: "Arazem? Arazem, you in this time? ...look, what did...fuck, what's her name? Any of you chuckleheads get her name?" Tiamat, 8:25 PM ????: "Mirror...drow...lady. Look, she say anything?" Tiamat, 8:28 PM ????: "Erelfyn. That's it...hello?" Rune, 8:28 PM Rune nudges Jim. Rune, 8:29 PM Rune whispers, "Go pretend to be him." Tiamat, 8:29 PM Anomie: "Oh, right." Tiamat, 8:29 PM Anomie shapeshifts into a copy of Azarem...a bit too tall, but hopefully they don't notice. Tiamat, 8:29 PM Ano-zem: "Hello! I'm here!" Tiamat, 8:31 PM He goes and sits in the chair. As he does so, a face appears above the ball of a human man. A...like...impossibly good looking human man. Like Fabio-looking. Strong jawline, long wavy hair, warm soft eyes. Just...disgustingly handsome. Rune, 8:31 PM Rune dislikes him immediately. Tiamat, 8:32 PM ????: "Ok, finally. We've been trying to get ahold of you for weeks. What the actual fuck, Arazem?" Tiamat, 8:33 PM Ano-zem: "Oh, I'm so sorry. Just been a little busy trying to clean up this whole mess with the king. You know. ...nothing that important, I guess. Gods." Tiamat, 8:34 PM ????: "What are you on about? Actually, scratch that. I don't care. The mirror drow woman...thing. Did you get it or not?" Tiamat, 8:34 PM Ano-zem: "...yes...that...well, it's somewhere safe. I can't exactly grab--" Tiamat, 8:35 PM ????: "Bless this. We give you one job and you can't even...has the champion spoken to you recently?" Tiamat, 8:36 PM Ano-zem: "...........no?" Hank, 8:36 PM Hank will try to get any hint of an accent or speech pattern from the voice Tiamat, 8:37 PM ((Roll...investigation.)) Hank, 8:37 PM ((19)) Tiamat, 8:39 PM ????: "Then what good are you, exactly? You came to us, ok? If you cannot even keep your own house in order, why should we trust you with the fate of the arcane as we know it." Tiamat, 8:40 PM Ano-zem: "Why should I trust you, exactly? What have you done to help me here, lately. I am pushing back against these...foul vermin all on my own, it seems like." Tiamat, 8:40 PM ????: "............what vermin?" Tiamat, 8:41 PM Ano-zem: "....the...the people who want to use magic outside of the guild. ...what are you talking about?" Tiamat, 8:42 PM ????: "Are you still hung up on that? Your local politics is small...why do I even bother? Look. Get back on mission. Get that mirror." Tiamat, 8:43 PM Ano-zem: "I am dealing with kings and and...the fate of our people and you want me to get a mirror? With some...war criminal from Gods know when?" Tiamat, 8:44 PM ????: "WHAT DO YOU..............what's going on here?" Tiamat, 8:44 PM Ano-zem: "I am trying so hard to--" Tiamat, 8:45 PM The figure seems to look around and then turns to someone you can't see. "End the sending. We're done here." Tiamat, 8:45 PM And the image blinks out. Rune, 8:45 PM ... we need to get that mirror. Clearly. Hank, 8:45 PM Hank finds a cloth to throw over the ball Tiamat, 8:45 PM The ball is now covered. Tiamat, 8:46 PM Kymic: "...I...um...uh......I don't know if....uh...wow....ok. Um...do we...have to take the mirror out?" Hank, 8:47 PM There was Something slightly off about his voice I can’t quite place it Rune, 8:48 PM ((20 religion check to see if I can figure out what that guy was. If religion isn't pertinent tell me what is...)) Hank, 8:48 PM Pretty sure common isn’t his usual language. Hank, 8:49 PM We can probably hold on the mirror for a minute their communication network in this kingdom appears to be only Azarem Tiamat, 8:50 PM Kymic: "I just...I can't authorize that. That'd be a meeting with the king. Or Vizier Duskthane. Or...I don't know, someone above me." Rune, 8:50 PM Obviously we have to tell them about everything we've seen. Hank, 8:50 PM We should probably bring it up to them anyway they should know people are looking for it Hank, 8:51 PM Hank will go over to Jim “thanks, that was well done for an on the spot performance” Rune, 8:52 PM I knew she'd be good at it. Tiamat, 8:53 PM Anomie shifts back to her (presently) preferred form. "Tried to just be as racist and bitter as I could. Get the sense that's what he was like." Tiamat, 8:56 PM ((Should I assume you guys are done in here?)) Rune, 8:57 PM ((Yeah, probly!)) Tiamat, 8:59 PM ((Ok, I assume you guys go and report in to Randek.)) Tiamat, 9:02 PM ((Actually, given the circumstances, I'd say he'd allow you to take the mirror with you, if you deQuille. I assume you'd explain the situation to him.)) Rune, 9:03 PM Rune does. Hank, 9:03 PM ((How big is the mirror?)) Rune, 9:03 PM Rune also lets everyone know that the handsome jerk on the other end of the conversation spoke with a fiendish accent, as if they grew up speaking infernal. Tiamat, 9:04 PM ((It's not a hand mirror. I'd say it's about...like a sort of medicine cabinet sized mirror? Like, it'd reflect your head and chest, but not much else.)) Rune, 9:07 PM Rune will make the gate back to home.